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dine
If
you like full-flavored cuisine with a twist, dine is the place,
touting its daily-changing menu as “global adventures” from
the cuisines of France, Asia and everywhere in between. Grab
a reservation at the chef’s table:
Sushi Thai Garden
It’s new, it’s big, it has a wonderful green curry, and its
good points don’t stop there. This restaurant understands
the intricacies and distinctive qualities of the many varieties
of Thai curry—and does wonderful things with sautés and skewers
as well. And then there’s that Japanese angle, too.
Plum Blossom
The hot-and-sour soup is the best in the region, the lunch
specials are an amazing bargain, and even goofy pseudo-Chinese
items like General Tso’s chicken are nicely assembled. And
there’s that amazing architecture, which continues to expand
and improve each time we visit. Runner-up: Dumpling House, 120 Everett Road, Colonie.
Bizen
By
far the best in the greater area, so much so that once you’ve
eaten there, no other Japanese restaurant will suffice. A
gleaming sushi bar takes center stage, where sushi aficionados
can sit and watch sushi chef/owner Michael Marcus at work,
fashioning the most incredible-looking and -tasting fish this
side of San Francisco. Even those who are squeamish about
sushi will develop instant cravings for the restaurant’s tempura
dishes, its grilled apanese tapas or its organic produce (the
corn on the cob is mind-boggling). Without exception, everything
is flawlessly rendered and exquisitely tasty. Don’t forget
to try something off the extensive list of Japanese estate
sakes.
Miyako A piece of raw fish on a hand packed ball of rice, how difficult is that? Well at this place Sushi is an art form. The fish is so fresh you can hear the surf, the rice is a perfect texture and the two molded together—heaven. The rolls are very caringly and tightly prepared and loaded with all the good stuff. Enjoy the fun at the huge comfortable sushi bar, sit down at one of the many hibachi tables or get your fix to go. This is a sushi lover’s paradise.
Van’s vietnamese Restaurant
While not as upscale as some other regional purveyors of this
lightest and most subtle of southeastern Asian cuisines, Van’s
nails the basics: It’s a great neighborhood restaurant in
a neighborhood that desperately needs them, service is friendly
and convivial, prices are fair for the generous portions served,
and selections from the menu are reliably good. Recommended
meal: an appetizer of crisp goi cuon and a scrumptious,
satisfying bun tom nuong cha gio entrée . . . but you’re
gonna have to go there to find out what they are.
Ginza
They’re at the back of the menu (last time we looked), but
the Korean offerings here are the real thing, as the kimchi
and bulgogi will quickly prove. If you’d rather have
sushi, you’re still in the right place.
Ferrandi’s
Here’s a place that takes Bastille Day very seriously. It’s
not just French, it’s classic French, with special
menus offered on holidays and wine-tastings galore. Mussels,
escargot, coquille St. Jacques—you can pretend you’re in downtown
Paris while on the outskirts of Amsterdam.
Scrimshaw
It’s not a seafood restaurant per se—it’s one of the finer
fine-dining establishments in the area—but the seafood side
of the menu offers such excellent fare as sea scallops broiled
with Chardonnay butter and live Maine lobster cooked to your
liking, superbly done.
Bavarian Chalet A formidable institution, this is a banquet house-sized eatery that still gives individual entrées the attention they deserve. Its potato pancakes are second to none. Wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten—all the classics are there. Runner-Up:
Brookside Inn, Route 30, Duanesburg.
Helsinki Café
It’s a blues café! It’s a teahouse! It’s the oddest restaurant
you’ll visit, but you’ll be won over by its eclectic, Finnish-inspired
fare. Try the borscht or gravlax, then sample a Red Square
Reuben, in which tempeh and beets take the place of corned
beef.
BFS It’s a fusion deli-restaurant gourmet food counter. With fusion food, infused with Mediterranean specialties. You may walk in there thinking, oh, turkey sandwich, I guess—but you’ll walk out (or eat in) with something far more exciting.
Yono’s
Tucked into the second-floor rear of Vegas-on-the-Hudson,
Yono’s continues its unique fine-dining tradition by offering
a menu that’s half continental, half Indonesian—reflecting
the heritage of Chef Yono Purnomo, who adds a unique, gourmet
touch to everything he prepares.
Hattie’s
New owners Jasper Alexander and Elizabeth Monaco-Alexander
carry on the tradition that has made this restaurant world-famous,
with chef Jasper turning out the Southern-fried chicken, hop’
john and jambalaya that make this place unique.
The Bears’
Chef-owner Bob Payne doesn’t advertise and doesn’t even list
his restaurant in the phone book. He doesn’t have to. Folks
come from a long way around to enjoy what he does with tenderloin
and sirloin as well as chops of lamb, pork and other meats.
Shalimar Restaurant
We love it, and we’ve always loved it. When we get the craving
for something Indian, Shalimar is where we turn. From the
lamb korma and chicken vindaloo to the endless selection
of vegetarian dishes, Shalimar wins this category hands down.
It’s one place you can count on for a great meal with impeccable
service at a cheap price.
Bob and Ron’s Fish Fry
First and foremost, the old-school sign in front of the restaurant
is one of the coolest in the Capital Region; on top of that,
its fish fry stands head and gills above the rest. The steady
stream of regulars at lunchtime, with the line often out the
door, speaks for itself. For more than 50 years this family-run
joint has been serving up the area’s tastiest seafood, including
clams, scallops, fish fry and more. There’s nothing fancy
about the décor, but who needs ambience when you have an age-old
recipe that’s been passed down for generations? Don’t dilly-dally
in line unless you like getting yelled at.
Shades of Green
One sign of a great vegetarian restaurant is that it serves
up dishes that even the most die-hard carnivores can’t resist.
Whether it be the tempeh Reuben sandwich, the artichoke quesadillas
or something from the endless selection of shakes, salads
or soups, there’s always that one dish that you just can’t
resist. What would Lark Street be without Shades of Green?
Don’t forget to ask Sarah to do her cow-udder trick.
Clayton’s Caribbean Restaurant
Clayton’s may not be the place to go if you’re in a hurry,
but it sure is the place to go if you’re hungry. A winner
each year in the Best Caribbean and Spanish Cuisine category,
Clayton’s is the spot when you’re craving island spices, beer
and music. Where else in town can you find oxtail soup, real
jerk chicken or goat roti this good? And the lunch buffet
rocks.
Bayou Café
Red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo—you won’t believe the
homemade quality and flavors of these Southern specialties.
You’d think Big Momma herself was in the kitchen. Traditional
flavors in an upbeat zydeco-pumping atmosphere are matched
by a great beer selection to cool the spicy tongue. If Cajun
ain’t your thing, there’s a wide selection of Mexican and
Southwestern dishes. Watch for the expansion of the Albany
location.
Justin’s
We’ve been wolfing down Justin’s signature jerk chicken, ropa
vieja and spicy corn cakes for so long now that it’s easy
to forget that the rest of the menu is constantly, seasonally
refreshed and updated with some of the most inventive cuisine
around. Cajun, Caribbean, Southwestern, contemporary American—and
a pretty damn good burger, too.
Jack’s Oyster House
Yes, there’s an up-to-date menu alongside the old classics,
but with that cavernous dining room and skillful sense of
organization, you’re whisked back in time to when service
and food really mattered. Chef Dale Miller has an unrivaled
imagination and technique to match.
The Chariot
Basically, we’ve got two Greek restaurants—this one and the
runner-up, A Taste of Greece on Lark Street—plus a
couple of items on diner menus here and there. But the Chariot
has been at it long enough to offer surefire fancy fare; in
particular, the lamb dishes are superb. Try the runner-up
for something more casual.
Café Capriccio
Don’t ever change.
Ferrari’s Ristorante
It’s a recent discovery for us, but Schenectady has known
this place for nearly 30 years. You couldn’t be made to feel
more welcome. Portions are huge. The parmigiana is outstanding.
Homemade pasta is available. The chianti was probably bottled
last week.
Caffé Italia 662 Central Ave., Albany
Maybe it’s just the look of the place. Outstanding food in
an atmosphere possessing that little touch of formality that
tells you it’s best to show respect. Veal Luciana—a beautiful
thing.
Antipasto’s
Specialty salads, fancifully named pizzas, pasta dishes—you’ll
hardly notice that meat doesn’t figure in. The menu gets fanciful
with items like the Thos. Jefferson (baked polenta with portobellos),
matched by a great list of wines and beers.
Ali Baba
The durum (wrapped) kabob is the best meal value in the area—and
the finest gyro, too. The cold appetizer assortment with puffy
lavash bread is a meal in itself. Turkish fare that’s
terrific, in an unprepossessing storefront near RPI.
El Mariachi
We’re way beyond the tacos-and-burritos thing and into authentic
Mexican dishes passed down via family recipes. From a pungent
mole to a piquant red sauce, El Mariachi’s flavors will keep
your lips dancing.
Jake’s Round-Up
Actually, this place is insane, but in a cheerful, too-much-sarsaparilla
way. A witty and inventive menu that includes Southwestern
fare such as Texas barbecue and Mexican burritos. It’s ethnic
grandma comfort food.
Justin’s
Justin’s take on brunch is a perfect blend of the adventurous
and the traditional: Not so nouvelle as to be unrecognizeable—conservative
brunchers can get eggs Benedict, pancakes and the like—but
not so predictable as to be interchangeable with any of the
six billion other places offering brunch. Honestly, the near-religious
experience of Justin’s casted hash and eggs is as close to
church as some of us have come in a month of Sundays.
Buttery Restaurant
If grease is what you’re craving, grease is what it’s got
. . . but such very tasty grease. When only a big side order
of fries will satisfy us, the Buttery is where we head. Whether
you’re ordering a grilled cheese sandwich, the Friday fish
fry special, a big, juicy burger or an old-fashioned milk
shake, this place always seems to hit the spot.
Andy & Sons
We’ve got just two words for you: Vinnie’s Choice. We don’t
know who Vinnie is or what he had to choose from, but we’d
like to commend him on a job well done: Fresh mozzarella,
soprasetta and roasted peppers, all in a sandwich as
big as your thigh—man, it’s good. Of course, there are plenty
of other options, if for some reason you don’t trust Vinnie
implicitly, as we do. There are cold sandwiches packed with
flavorful dried meats and fresh cheeses, hot favorites like
meatball and homemade sausage, and tons of sides and salads
to fill out the plate. We’d go on at length, but it’s starting
to approach lunchtime, and Andy & Sons is just down the
road.
Debbie’s Kitchen
She wins nearly every year, but it’s not our fault. Will someone
else please make a sandwich to rival Debbie’s? We’re getting
embarrassed. She puts things together between bread that nobody
else would ever imagine putting together, and it comes out
tasting like manna from heaven. As for bread, you choose your
own, and let us make a suggestion: Marble rye is the biggest,
and you need big bread to control the humongous amount of
ingredients that go into a Debbie’s sandwich. Even though
you’ll have no room for it, you simply must have dessert—her
brownies, cookies, cakes and the like are the bomb.
Lickety Split
This category has our largest street team, with ice-cream
testers traveling far and wide to pick the cream of the crop
(pun intended). No stranger to this award, East Greenbush’s
Lickety Split won again.
The Healthy Café
The Capitol stands down the street from Metroland’s
offices, and lining the building’s back lawn on a weekday
lunch hour are a slew of trucks serving food for the masses.
There’s pizza, tacos, gyros and the like—whatever your little
heart desires. But if you desire your little heart to stay
healthy, we suggest you stop at the Healthy Café. It serves
a wide assortment of tasty sandwiches and salads that are
better than most.
Red Dot
Terrific burgers. Fish and chips. Continental specials. And
those Belgian frites. If those aren’t arresting enough, it
has a great, handsome bar and an atmosphere that will set
the creative juices flowing in the most unimaginative bureaucrat.
Perreca’s At five o’clock in the morning those crusty loaves start to emerge from the coal-fired ovens. By 9 AM, the last of the day’s bread passes from oven to shelf, so you’ll want to get to the tiny storefront early enough to snap up a still-warm loaf or two. Bread never tasted better.
Bayou Café This is a category to start fights, we know it. The competition is fierce and the rules, frankly, are vague. But, for us, it comes to one word: pepper. Yes, the Bayou Café’s wings are appropriately seasoned with pepper, not just salt and vinegar. OK, and now that we’ve got your ear with that one word, here are a bunch of others: The wings also are the perfect size, with the perfect amount of meat on the bone—too little, you feel like carrion; too much, like Henry VIII. And they’re the perfect crispness. They’ve got good crunch, but aren’t desiccated; and they’re slathered with a perfectly robust and flavorful sauce that tastes as if it’s prepared, not merely unbottled.
Paesan’s
A taste of New York City pizza right here in Albany is what
you get when you order from Paesan’s. This is a thin-crust-lover’s
paradise. A first-time honoree, Paesan’s won us over with
its quick delivery, garlic knots and
Smith’s Tavern
You can order a to-go pie, travel and reheat it, and the crust
still tastes firm and great. Inventive toppings and cheerful
service earn extra points.
DeFazio’s
It’s mainly about crust, really, and these are wood-fired
and taste just right for the gourmet toppings that are liberally
applied.
Fireside Pizzeria
Big sheets of pizza are a specialty at the Fireside, and it’s
got that crucial ratio of cheese to toppings conquered. Great
for takeout, but try to eat in—it’s a fun place with a family
spirit.
BEFF’s
Dough, sauce, cheese, maybe a topping or two—pizza, right?
Wrong! Pizza is a gift from the gods and should be admired
like a work of art. If you think pizza is an art form, then
go to the pizza Louvre, either location—but we prefer outdoors
in the parking lot in Delmar. Fresh ingredients, great crust,
and if you can think of a topping, you can get it. Must-tries
are the Buffalo wing pie and the shrimp scampi pie.
Esperanto
Burritos, curries, wraps, stews, pizza slices and the famous
“doughboy,” a meal in itself. Stop in for a quick bite, and
suddenly you’re having a full-fledged meal.
Gershon’s
Such an institution! You want a type of sandwich? It’s probably
on the menu. The turkey with chopped liver is to die for.
And you’ll find Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray.
Uncommon
Grounds Nobody
could understand the pain I felt . . . Yeah, I’m having
a cuppa this Colombian bean, they roast it here . . . least
of all Margaret. When she left me . . . Oh, yeah, the
hard drive on my old one tanked, so I got this one with a
DVD player . . . for that actor, I began to get in touch
with feelings I thought I’d lost . . .
Caffe Lena
It’s really the only coffeehouse, but it does serve good coffee
during concerts by both revered and up-and-coming troubadours.
A shot of Fernet-Branca in mine, please.
Oliver’s Café
Made fresh, then offered in its pristine state or jazzed up
with the chef’s latest twist. We’ve been enjoying it far too
often with no disappointment, and the hand-cut fries don’t
hurt.
Country Corner
It’s an unassuming little place, but the Country Corner has
become one of Saratoga’s most popular breakfast joints. Unless
you visit at an off-peak time, you’ll probably be waiting
for a table. It’s the diner’s homemade charm that has won
it so many loyal fans—the selection of homemade jams alone
is worth the wait to get in. The fruit-filled pancakes are
among the best we’ve ever had, and we also recommend the tasty
potato pancakes, topped with applesauce or sour cream.
Ravenous
OK, so there may be no other place around dedicated solely
to the thin, stuffed pancakes known as crepes, but Saratoga’s
Ravenous deserves its own category. The worst thing about
eating here is having to decide between the sweet and the
savory crepes. The sweet crepes—filled with fruit or more
hedonistic items like Nutella and caramel—make for a gratifying
desert or a luxurious breakfast, while the savory crepes satisfy
as a meal. Our favorite savory crepe—the California special—combines
eggs, avocado and tomato to delicious effect.
Tollgate
Whenever
locals seriously discuss the highest-quality ice cream in
town, the inevitable mention of the Tollgate is met with nods
of agreement. Its reputation is deserved. In addition to all
the traditional flavors, it features concoctions that are
creative without straying from the restaurant’s homey, authentically
old-fashioned atmosphere (its delightful peanut butter and
jelly, complete with jelly swirls and peanut clusters, tastes
suspiciously like the sandwich). The Tollgate has not only
the richest and creamiest ice cream in the area, but also
the cheapest: a mountainous cone costs $2 including tax, a
deal you just can’t get at Häagen-Dazs.
Aromi d’Italia “What
the hell is ‘gelato’ anyway?” is what most asked when this
category was brought up. In short, it’s Italian for ice cream—but
it’s got only half the calories, and it’s much creamier. How
do they do it? To answer that, head on down to Aromi d’Italia,
where you’ll find a wealth of knowledge about this summertime
favorite. More than 24 flavors to choose from, including melon,
kiwi, tiramisù and white chocolate mousse.
Scallions
How nice to bring the kids to a place where their dining options
aren’t limited to hot dogs and chicken fingers. Fresh fruit
and whole grains are prominently featured, but the neat thing
is that everything is presented in a fun way that kids will
enjoy. They’ll never even know that they’re eating healthy.
Bonus points for the treasure chest from which kids can pick
a prize when they leave, providing parents with a built-in
incentive builder for good behavior.
Nicole’s Bistro at Quackenbush House
A perennial winner, Nicole’s boasts the most serenely lovely
patio dining in the region—with highway overpasses and loud
bars all around it, at that. But you wouldn’t notice those
anyway, between soaking in the splendor of your immediate
surroundings and savoring the delightfully inventive continental
cuisine of Chef Daniel Smith.
Adelphi Hotel
Wandering through the Rose Room, a perfect summer veranda
by the courtyard of the Adelphi Hotel, you feels like you’ve
arrived in a luxurious, secret garden. Small tables and chairs
set in intimate groupings, along with Adirondack chairs and
a tropical forest of flowering plants, practically put you
into Renoir’s Le Moulin de la Galette. A Cafe Adelphi
(Vandermint, amaretto, coffee and whipped cream) and a slice
of delicious, currant-adorned lemon cheesecake; a frozen peach
daiquiri; or a Kir Royale (champagne and crème de cassis),
sipped underneath a canopy of stars, will fill you with the
feeling of a fantasy come true.
Justin’s
Not only can you find interesting conversation and people-watching
during the hours after most restaurants close their kitchens,
you can also find excellent food served right up until 1 AM.
Only the entrée section of the menu shuts down after 10 PM
or so; you can still order off the extensive appetizer listing
or the café menu, which features great sandwiches, salads,
quesadillas and even a “café” version of the restaurant’s
signature ropa vieja.
Man of Kent
OK, beer snobs, bring your discerning palates to this English
pub tucked away alongside Route 7 on your way to Vermont.
Beyond the usual fare of Newcastle and Harp, Bass and Boddington’s,
you’ll find a trove of respectable stouts and lagers, ales
and porters. Enjoy your fine brew with a meal from the hearty,
oh-so-English pub menu.
Coffee Planet Coffeehouse & Cafe 100 Milton Ave. (Route 50), Ballston Spa
This sweet little coffeehouse is becoming Ballston Spa’s hottest
place to enjoy a cup of java and a bagel. The bagels are crunchy
on the outside, tender in the midsection. The cinnamon-raisin
doesn’t go overboard on sweetness, and the onion and seeded
bagels come well supplied. Having one toasted is doubly satisfying.
Add Coffee Planet’s plain, salmon, olive or veggie cream cheese—made
fresh most mornings—and a Mind Streamer, and you’re off to
the Happy Noshing Grounds.
Arlington House 3532 Route 43, West Sand Lake Classic Americ |
Best
Restaurant
